Benefits 1940 s style programme on channel 4 AIBU to think this is another programme that will be used as a reason to criticise people on benefits?

[Allthingspretty]

I hate all of these benefit programmes since when did peoples hardships make for entertainment?

It is meant to highlight broken britain or some such rubbish I have stopped watching them I dont watch anything with Broken/benefit/scrounger in the titles

Probably, YANBU.

Don't know as havent seen it, but channel 4 have a history of commissioning dodgy programmes with no regard for consequences.

Sadly I think the consequences have been very much thought out. The aim is to turn everyone against each other, to finish off people who are already struggling by opening them up to abuse. It's the back up in case the system has failed to remove every last ounce of hope and self esteem a person may have.

It's to build up the self esteem and naivety of the proper people so they don't see it coming when the economy, government policy or whatever it is comes for them.

What does that poem say? 'When they came for me there was Boone left'? Or something like that.

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.

I agree with Grumpy I think this pitting people against each other serves the interests of the only people that really benefit from this social system and that isn't us.

Yes, very likely. The frothers will probably be inspired to start their usual ranting threads.

I am now going to have to add this to my list of must watch TV.

OP, what was the main message to come out of it?

People can take whatever warped message they want from what they see on the telly, but I don't think these programmes are designed to 'turn people against each other'.

There do seem to be quite a few programmes about various aspects of the welfare state at the moment, but the welfare state is a big part of life for a huge amount of people in this country, so I think it's a good thing that it's being acknowledged in documentaries.

I usually find the programmes quite interesting. It's not entertainment in the same way as the X factor is entertainment, it's informing people about something that affects many people.

As long as the programmes present a balanced and accurate picture of the individuals they choose to show, I don't see the problem.

"As long as the programmes present a balanced and accurate picture of the individuals they choose to show, I don't see the problem."

I have never seen one that does that, though.

I live in Liverpool, we are one of the hardest hit regions, both with unemployment and spending cuts, the average number of applicants, for every job advertised is around 600, more for some jobs.

The job guru (or whatever she was called) that filmed in Liverpool, failed to mention this, or that the jobs she was putting people on training schemes for, wouldn't give a living wage. All of our colleges/training courses are over subscribed, we probably have the highest educated/skilled unemployed in the country.

The coverage about the bedroom tax, by This Morning was good, as it highlighted the problem for the disabled, who, contrary to popular belief are not exempt.

"It's not entertainment in the same way as the X factor is entertainment"

I didn't see much difference in "Shameless" and the supposed documentary "Skint, tbh.

It has not been on yet.

Yanbu!! Channel 4 are very good at editing to suit themselves

I saw the bedroom tax clip on This Morning. Wasn't it all a bit storm in a tea cup when the lady who was interviewed explained that she wouldn't actually have to pay any extra ?!

They are rarely balanced. The one I remember is the trailer for the 'documentary' Skint was an image of a woman being led away in handcuffs with the tagline "this is what it's like to be skint". Actually it's not thousands of people, myself included, have been skint without resorting to crime.

I watched skint. I got the impression that people realised that there was more to life than claiming benefits, they felt entitled though because they knew that lack of opportunity wasn't something they could actively change themselves. I could see how people might turn to crime in order to make the most of a very bad situation. Its seemed almost to be a case of "system fucks me over, I fuck it over"

I actually wonder if Channel 4 are somehow commissioned to promote the Tory agenda. Loads of programmes about speculating on property, Country House Rescue, wtf? Lots of stuff promoting/glamorising that 'Keep Calm and Carry On/let's all hark back to Good old Wartime mentality' and all these bloody benefit bashing programmes. It's divisive and inflammatory.

We are encouraged to have more sympathy for low-level aristocracy struggling with the 'burden' of keeping up their massive decrepit country houses than we are people at the bottom of the pile struggling on with nothing. Why? Who's interests does that protect?

Can't we have sympathy for both?

What's it called? I've been thinking about how programmes have been so depressing recently about benefits and council houses compared to the 90s when it was all Charlie dimmick and lawrence Llewelyn Bowen tarting up your houses.